Apparatus for processing transistor leads

ABSTRACT

In an apparatus for processing transistor leads as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 to R. L. Hall on Aug. 13th, 1968 there is provided improvements in the transporting wheel and in the cutting and shaping die mechanism used to automatically cut and shape the leads of transistors. There is also provided improvements in maintaining the alignment and orientation of the transistors as they are fed from a discharge chute to the transporting wheel.

United States Patent 51 3,640,1 13

Heller et al. Feb. 8, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING 3,225,797 12/1965 TRANSISTOR LEADS 3,396,758 8/ 1968 3,187,545 6/1965 Inventors: Martin G- Heller, Warren St West Mitchell Ave., Roseland, NJ. 07068 i v 731 Asxigncc: Martin G; Heller, Warren St., West ,alrimwy EaF 'miner Larson ()rungc, N..L 07052. a m P O 22 Filed: Feb. 3, i970 5 ABSTRACT [21] Appl' 8l92 apparatus for processing transistor leads as in US. Pat.

- v, 0". 3,39 6,,7 58 to'R-."L. Hall on Aug. l3th, 1968 there is pro- [52] us. Cl ..7'2/332,72/ 4 23,72/45f eqg mn i h transporting wheel and in the v 72/016,;1") V emitting shaping'die mechanismused to automatically cut [51] Int. Cl. .J ..'....".B2 lf 45/00 n 'shp hoj esqs of transistors. There is also provided im- [58] Field of Search "1140/ l,-7l, 105, 140, 147; a yprovments in maintaining the alignment and orientation of 72/387, 388, 452, 470 EC, 332, 422, 423; 83/602 thetransistors as they are fed from a discharge chute to the l a transporting yvheel', [56] References Cited 15 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,344,816 10/1967 Zemek ..l40/'i4'/ v v PATENTED FEB 8 I972 SHEET 1 OF 3 INVENTORS MARTIN G.HELLER DONALD D. KELLY mama) rm emz 3.640.113

SHEET 2 BF 3 E195 Fig.6

INVENTORS MAR-TIN g5. HELLER BY UONALD'D. KELLY @AEEM AGENT PATENTEU FEB emz SHEET 3 [IF 3 INVENIORS MARTIN G HELLER BY DONALD D. KELLY Ki ljcflw AGENT APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING TRANSISTOR LEADS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This invention, in addition to improvements in the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 also includes an improve ment in the transporting apparatus as shown in my U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 769,109 filed Oct. 21st, 1968 and entitled Automatic Feeding Mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention With reference to the classification of art established in the United States Patent Office, the art to which the present invention pertains is found generally in the class entitled Wireworking," and particularly in the subclasses of combined machines and further with wire cutting and straightening.

2. Description of the Prior Art The processing of transistor leads is shown in several U.S. Patents among which are those for the cutting and shaping of the wire leads as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,078 to Vollmer issued on Oct. 9th, 1951 and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,144,889 to Cole issued on Aug. 18th, 1964 as well as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 to Hall issued on Aug. 13th, 1968 and as referenced above. In particular, the cutting and shaping of the transistor lead for mounting in circuit boards usually requires the precise shaping of the leads as to their length and their offset spacing for use in a particular circuit board.

The development and rapidly expanding and extensive use of the transistor has required that said electrical components be customarily produced and supplied with maximum length leads which for use, are cut to a determined length and then are often bent to a specific form for mounting in a circuit board. It is quite common to find in the same electronic circuit many of the same value or capacity transistors each with a different requirement for the length, shape and spacing of the lead wires or vice versa. These requirements may include forming an offset in the lead wire sufficient to provide a shoulder at a selected point in the lead so that the lead will have a definitive inserting length when mounted in a hole in the printed circuit board. It is also to be noted that the leads of the transistor may be fonned to provide a spread formation permitting the transistor to be rapidly assembled to unusual hole patterns in a given circuit board. In this manner the transistor is suspended above the board so that it will not be subject to all the vibrations of the board or to all the heat of soldering. The method and apparatus for cutting and bending the transistor leads is shown and described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 referred to above and this disclosure pertains to an improvement in the feeding of transistors to this apparatus and also to the transporting wheel and forming and cutting mechanism used in conjunction with the wheel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention may be summarized at least in part with reference to its objects.

It is an object of this invention to provide improvements in the feeding and transporting of transistors and the like having two or more leads extending from one end of the body member and with apparatus for forming and cutting these leads.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved feeding means for discharging a transistor or the like from an orienting chute to a transfer mechanism thence to an improved transport wheel whereby the transistor is held as it is intermittently brought in way of improved mechanism for fonning and cutting the leads of the transistor.

Even more particularly it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for receiving, orienting and feeding a series of transistors having two or more leads to and through a transport means wherein the transistors are. fed with the leads in a precisely oriented condition and in this oriented position each transistor is brought into a transport wheel having resilient gripping means and in this wheel is brought in way of a precise cutting station wherein one die member is brought to a support position and a complimentary die member is brought to and past the support member in a manner to cut the leads after which the die members are then moved away from the leads. At a precise forming station the leads may be bent to a precise configuration by complimentary die members after which they are moved away from the leads.

In the accomplishing of the above objects there is provided an air blast which may be disposed to hit the end or leads of transistors at or near the bottom of the feed chute. From the feed chute the oriented transistor is fed to a transport wheel whose transistor receiving pockets have one shoulder against which the face of the transistor body is urged by a spring finger. On occasion an air blast may be directed at the body of the transistor to orient the body as it is moved in the chute or as it is transported in the shuttle. In this transport wheel the transistor is carried until the leads are brought in way of a precise cutting station whose dies are carried by apparatus providing positive opening and closing of the dies. When the leads are to be precisely bent the transistor, still in the transport wheel, is indexed to a position whereat the bending dies are positively opened and closed by positively actuated cams and cam followers. Sometimes the lead forming dies are disposed in the first or initial station and the cutting dies are disposed in a second or subsequent station.

INTENT OF THE DISCLOSURE Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination is detailed to insure adequacy and aid in understanding of the invention, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions of further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose, as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements or combinations or methods in which the inventive concepts are found.

There has been chosen a specific embodiment of the chute feed with air blast, the improved transport wheel and positive die actuation apparatus as adopted for use with transistor processing apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 and application Ser. No. 769,109. This specific embodiment and alternate embodiments thereof have been chosen for the purpose of illustration and description as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS in particular an air blast nozzle disposed to direct a blast of air against the wire leads of a transistor in a chute and toward delivery to a shuttle feeding member and when desired a second air blast nozzle is disposed to orient the transistor body in the shuttle as the transistor is transported;

FIG. 2 represents a fragmentary plan view of the air blast nozzles for the chute feed of FIG. 1 and showing in particular the disposition of the air blast nozzle to the wire leads and to the transistor body;

FIG. 3 represents a face or front view of a transistor transport wheel for use with the cutting and shaping mechanism shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 with this improved transport wheel providing a spring retention of the transistor body in a receiving notch;

FIG. 4 represents a side view of the transport wheel with the view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 represents a side view of an improved apparatus for shaping the ends of transistor leads;

FIG. 6 represents an end view of the transistor end shaping apparatus with the view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. "I represents a side view of an improved apparatus similar to the apparatus of FIG. 5 but with this apparatus provided with lead cutting dies;

FIG. 8 represents an end view of the end cutting apparatus with the view taken on the line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 represents a side view of yet another embodiment of improved apparatus for shaping the ends of a transistor, this embodiment having the upper bar provided with an open box cam providing for positive actuation of the upper bar;

FIG. 10 represents an end view of the apparatus of FIG. 9, the view taken on the line I0-l0 of FIG. 9, and

FIG. 11 represents an enlarged sectional view of the shaping dies of FIG. 9, the view taken substantially on the line 11ll of FIG. 9.

In the following description and in the claims various details will be identified by specific names for convenience, these names, however, are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer to like members throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The drawings accompanying, and forming part of, this specification disclose certain details of construction for the purpose of explanation of the broader aspects of the invention, but it should be understood that structural details may be modified in various respects without departure from the concept and principles of the invention and that the invention may be incorporated in other structural forms than shown.

DESCRIPTION OF THE AIR BLAST SYSTEM OF FIGS. 1 AND 2 Referring now in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2 and to an automatic feeding mechanism as shown and described in my U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 769, I09 filed Oct. 21st, 1968 and entitled Automatic Feeding Mechanism, there is shown in this application a preferred embodiment including a transport wheel disposed to receive a supply of transistors 22 from a chute 24. A transfer mechanism 26 including a shuttle 28 is reciprocated so as to receive transistors from the chute 24 and transport one transistor at a time to the wheel 20. In the highspeed feeding of these transistors 22 it has been found that the uneven weight of the transistor, as it is supported in and by the chute, on occasion causes a hang-up or jamming of the transistor in the chute or shuttle or both. Any jam-up, of course, causes a stop in the flow of transistors through the chute. To avoid this hang-up in the chute an assist means is provided to insure that the transistors are fed or dropped into this transport die or shuttle 28 as it is cycled by the transfer mechanism 26.

This feeding assist is provided by an air blast nozzle 30 disposed to carry and direct a light blast of air. This directed blast of air from the nozzle is disposed to engage the leads 32 of the transistor 22. In particular, the blast of air from nozzle 30 is disposed to engage the leads of the second from the bottom and/or the bottom transistor in the chute 24 so as to urge the wire leads of these transistors downwardly in the chute so as to drop into the transport die or shuttle of the reciprocating mechanism 26. It is also to be noted that once the transistor is in the pocket of the shuttle 28 it is essential that it be properly seated so that it may smoothly enter a receiving pocket in the transport wheel 20. As the body diameter of the transistors often vary greatly in their diameter the receiving pocket in the shuttle 28 must be sized so as to receive those transistors having the greater diameter. Edges of this pocket establish determined stops or limits for the engaging of the body of the transistor. Another or second air blast 34 may be supplied and the nozzle of this blast be directed against the body of the transistor 22 so as to urge the transistor to a determined position in the shuttle as the transistor is transported in the shuttle.

USE AND OPERATION OF AIR BLAST SYSTEM In the use of the air blast system above-described it is contemplated that the chute 24 will have and will be supplied with transistors for delivery to the shuttle 28. Air at line pressure such as 70 to 90 pounds per square inch is supplied to this air blast system which may use a throttle valve, not shown, to meter quantity of flow of air from the nozzles 30 and 34. The

discharge stream of air from the nozzle 30 is aimed to hit the ends of the leads of one or more transistors such as the second from the bottom or the bottom one in the feed chute and to urge the lead ends downwardly toward the shuttle 28. These transistors are thus urged toward the shuttle by both gravity as to the body portion of the transistor and by the air blast from nozzle 30 as to the leads of the transistor. As the chute M is adapted to slidably engage the transistor by its body and by the sliding engagement of its leads to orient the transistor in the chute, the dragging of the leads and the overturning movement of the transistor body tend to cause the transistor to hang up or jam in the chute. By the application of the air blast thrust on the leads of one or more of the transistors the leads are urged downwardly and cause or tend to cause the transistor body to be moved to a horizontal condition as it approaches the shuttle. The blast also urges the transistor downwardly to assist its fall into the receiving pocket in the shuttle. The second air blast from nozzle 34 is disposed to engage the transistor body after the lower most transistor has dropped into the receiving pocket in the shuttle 28. The blast from nozzle 34 continues to urge the transistor body to an oriented or seated condition as the shuttle is moved toward the wheel 20. Both nozzle 30 and nozzle 34 are adjustably mounted so as to be movable to a selected condition to provide the desired movement and positioning of the transistor as it first falls then is transported to lead processing apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TRANSPORT WHEEL OF FIGS. 3 AND 4 In FIGS. 3 and 4 is shown a transport wheel which is an improvement of the transport wheel shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758. The body of the transistor is transported between various disc portions of the transport wheel described in the above-identified U.S. Patent; however, because the bodies of the transistors are not made with a precise tolerance the retention and location of the transistor body in pockets provided in this transport wheel is not always sure. This may cause the later operation of cutting and shaping the leads to be inaccurate. The present improved wheel overcomes this inaccuracy by providing a support disc 40 which is carried by a hub 42 disposed for mounting upon a rotating shaft of the transistor processing apparatus. Adjacent the support disc 40 and spaced a determined distance therefrom is a carrier disc 44 in which is provided receiving notches 46 sized so as to receive and retain the body of a transistor. Attached to this disc 44 are a plurality of spring fingers 48 attached at one end and having their free end adjacent to and spaced from a receiving notch. These spring fingers are adapted to be deflected from their at rest position in way of the receiving notch and to engage the end of the transistor body as it is moved into the notch so as to urge the transistor body against the support disc 40. In this support disc 40 there is provided opposite each receiving notch 46 a cutout 50 which is disposed to engage two of the three wires of the transistor 22. The cutouts 50 are, of course, designed and sized to accommodate one size and spacing of transistor leads.

USE AND OPERATION OF THE TRANSPORT WHEEL OF FIGS. 3 AND 4 The transport wheel described and shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 provided a length adjustment which permitted the establishment of receiving pockets of determined size and length. This length adjustment accommodated the body of the transistor from its inner to its outer face. In the mass production of these transistors the manufacturing tolerances may be as much as fifty thousandths of an inch or more. With the pocket adjusted to receive the largest or longest transistor body, most of the transistor bodies are a loose fit in the receiving pockets of the transport wheel shown in this aboveidentified patent. In the transport wheel of this invention the spring 48 is adapted to accommodate variations in transistor body length of plus or minus twenty-five thousandths of an inch. Variations in excess of this length tolerance are preferably accommodated by other means such as prefeeding inspection. The spring 48 urges the transistor base against disc 40 until the cutting and bending operation is completed.

WIRE BENDING MECHANISM OF FIGS. 5 AND 6 As seen particularly in FIGS. 4 and 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 the cutting and shaping apparatus shown therein included two pivot pins. The upper bar was pivotally supported on the upper pin and the lower bar was pivotally supported on the lower pin. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of this invention, it is to be noted that a single pin 60 is used to pivotally retain and support lower support bar 62 and top bar 64. A pair of springs 66 carried by pins 68 and 69 urges the left end of the bars 62 and 64 toward each other. A support block 70 carries the pin 60 and the pivoted lower support bar 62 and top bar 64 mounted thereon. As viewed the lower bar 62 is mounted on the near side and top bar 64 is mounted on the far side of support block 70.

The Wire forming dies for this station include an upper die 72 removably carried on top bar 64 by means of screws, not shown. Lower forming die 74 is carried by the lower bar 62 and is maintained in a determined relationship to die 72 by means of a spacer 76. Cap screws 78 retain the die 72 to bar 62 and extend from the left side of the bar and through lower bar 62, through spacer 76 and into threaded holes in the forming die 74.

WIRE CUTTING MECHANISM OF FIGS. 7 AND 8 Referring now particularly to FIGS. 7 and 8 of this invention there is shown an opposite hand assembly in which the pivotal mounting of the lower support bar 62 and top bar 64 on block 70 are reversed from the arrangement as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. As seen in FIG. 7, the top bar 64 is in front of support block 70 while lower support bar 62 is in back of support block 70. A knife 80 is removably mounted to the right end of top bar 64 and a cooperatively disposed knife 82 is removably mounted to the right end of lower support bar 62 by means of a pair of screws 84. A pair of spacers 86 and 87 of determined thickness is disposed between lower support bar 62 and knife 82 so as to position knife 82 in a selected sliding fit with knife 80.

USE AND OPERATION OF MECHANISMS OF FIGS. 5 THROUGH 8 The forming and cutting mechanisms of FIGS. 5 through 8 are used and are operated substantially as shown in FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 above-identified and showing that the cam shafts (55, 60 and 82, 86) are rotated to engage the ends of the lower support block carried on a pair of nonrotating support shafts. The single pivot pin 60 of the present invention permits the bars 62 and 64 mounted thereon to be moved in space to greater degrees of movement and the possible error of positioning the bars on the support block which often developed in the machining of the bars and block is reduced by the use of a single pivot pin mounted in the block. In addition and of great importance in the use of a single pin is the increase in the accuracy and use of the forming dies in that both die halves are swung from a common pivot so that the small variations in engagement with the wire leads of the transistor do not affect the closing and opening of the dies as they are moved around this common pivot point. As both lower and top lever members are partially movably in space this providing of a common pivot insures that the dies are always in a positive determined relationship in their mating action with each other. i

BOX MECHANISM OF FIGS.9, AND ll Referring next to FIGS. 8, I0 and 11 there is shown a modification of the assembly of FIGS. 7 and 8 wherein a top bar 164 is provided with a box cam arm portion 165 in the form of a channel-shaped extrusion which as seen extends rightwardly thence upwardly thence rearwardly of the top bar 164. The facing inner surfaces 166 and 168 of the channel are formed and spaced so as to provide cam surfaces which slidably engage the outer diameter surface 170 of a cam shaft 172. Upper die 72 is attached to top bar I64 by screws I74 and lower die 74 is attached to lower bar 62 by cap screws 84. In FIG. 11 there is seen in enlarged detail a typical assembly of dies 72 and 74 to arms I64 and 62.

USE AND OPERATION OF THE BOX CAM MECHANISM OF FIGS. 9, 10 AND 11 In the forming of transistor leads, it often happens that the leads tend to jam in the dies such as dies 72, 74 seen in FIG. 11. In addition to the springs 66 tending to urge or cause the dies to be separated, the box cam surface 170 of the rotating cam shaft 172 engages surface 166 to move the arm 164 upwardly. In combination with the pocket in the transport wheel, the held transistor and the spring-biased lower arm causes the dies to move from the leads and the cam-actuated top bar is lifted from the other side of the bent wire leads.

DEFINITIONS In the above specification the use of the word transistor in addition to referring to those common electronic semiconductors having three leads extending from one end of the body member is also contemplated to include electronic components such as capacitors having two wire leads extending from one end of the body. The body may have leads extending from the other end and as in cases such as are found with integrated circuits may have leads of more than three leads from one end of the body. The present invention contemplates that the electronic component will have a minimum of two leads extending from one end of a can body and the like. One or more of these leads are to be either cut to a determined length, bent to a determined configuration or both. The bodies may or may not have flanged ends.

Cutting and bending" as used above also includes the spreading of the leads to a precise configuration and may require many stations to perform the complete series of lead processing steps. The sequence of processing steps is a matter of selection depending on the finally produced electronics component. Bending, spreading," straightening may individually or collectively be performed before the cutting" is performed.

Air blast as used above also includes the use of gases such a nitrogen, hydrogen etc., which gases may be used because of environmental conditions or surfaces. Although two nozzles are shown and suggested dispositions of these nozzles are described above, these nozzles or additional nozzles may be used to further assist in the flow or positioning of the transistors in the chute, in the shuttle or as they are transferred into the transport wheel. The use of an air blast in the feeding of the transistors down the chute has resulted in a chute feed where all transistors are smoothly delivered to the shuttle no matter how many or few transistors are in the chute.

The cutouts 50 in the support disc 40 as seen in FIG. 1 are shown as having an intermediate portion between cut out portions disposed to receive two of the leads of a transistor while this intermediate portion may support the third lead. In FIG. 3 the notch 50 is shown as having a plain rectangular configuration disposed to engage two of the three leads of a transistor. All cutouts 50 are sized and shaped to receive at least two of the leads of a transistor and by engaging these leads to orient the transistor as it is moved to and through the cutting and bending stations. The cutouts 50 are shaped to confonn to the construction of the transistor and to the requirements for the processing of the leads. For this reason many other cutout shapes have been and may be required.

Although in the preferred reductions to practice the spring 48 is made of a length and temper to accommodate a fifty thousandths of an inch tolerance, this is because the improvements in the making of transistors tends to reduce their size; present reduction to practice has established this as a conventional construction. if desired or required longer springs with greater deflection accommodation could or may be used and as an alternate for spring fingers mounted in a cantilever manner, a pivoted lever may be used. The lever may be pneumatically or cam actuated if desired.

Terms such as left, right, up," down, bottom, top," front," back," in, out, and the like are applicable to the embodiments shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. These terms are merely for the purposes of description and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the transistor transporting and lead cutting and forming apparatus may be constructed or used.

The conception of the transporting and forming apparatus is not limited to the specific embodiments shown by departures therefrom may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims and without sacrificing its chief advantages and protection is sought to the broadest extent the prior art allows.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for processing transistor leads wherein the transistors are oriented and fed by gravity to and through a substantially vertical chute to a feeding transport apparatus, said chute feeding means including: (a) a conductor for pressurized air, gas and the like and having a pair of nozzles of determined diameter and configuration, each adapted to direct a blast of pressurized air, gas and the like to a localized position a short distance from the end of the nozzle; (b) means for modulating the flow of pressurized air, gas and the like to and through the nozzles, and (c) support means for retaining the conductor and nozzles in an oriented condition and through one nozzle to direct a determined blast of air and the like to and onto the leads of at least the lowest transistors and through the other nozzle to the body of at least the lowermost transistor as it is fed in and from the chute to and into a pocket of a transporting shuttle having a reciprocal actuation.

2. In an apparatus for processing transistor leads wherein the transistors are oriented and fed by gravity from a substantially vertically arranged chute to a reciprocated shuttle transporting means thence toward and to a transport wheel which is rotated in an intermittent manner, said transport wheel including: (a) a support disc rotationally carried by a support shaft, said disc having a plurality of like sized and shaped cutouts formed in its periphery, each cutout sized and shaped so as to slidably engage the leads of a transported transistor so as to retain the transistor in an oriented condition; (b) a carrier disc carried at a determined position from the supported disc and rotated with the support disc, said carrier disc having a plurality of receiving notches formed in its periphery, and with each notch sized so as to slidably receive the body of a transistor, while the transport wheel is in an at rest condition condition, each notch further disposed so as to be in a fixed determined alignment with an adjacent cutout in the support disc, and (c) a plurality of spring fingers carried by the transport wheel, each spring finger retained so that is free end is adjacent to and is spaced from a receiving notch in the carrier disc with each of said spring fingers adapted to be deflected from its at rest position by the end of a transistor body as said transistor is moved into a receiving notch in the carrier disc, said deflected spring engaging the transistor body to urge the body into a fixed condition against the stop disc during the transporting rotation of the transport wheel.

3. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 2 in which the cutouts in the support disc and the receiving notches in the carrier disc are in alignment and also are equally spaced on the peripheries of the discs.

4. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 3 in which the cutouts in the support disc are sized to slidably receive and retain in an oriented manner and condition two of the leads of a transistor having at least three leads.

5. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 2 in which each spring finger is attached to and is carried by the carrier disc, said finger being deflectable from its at rest position so as to engage the outer end of a transistor body of determined length and by the bias of the deflected spring to urge the transistor body axially into a determined frictional engagement with the support disc.

6. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 5 in which the free length of the spring is deflectable without deformation to an extent sufficient to accept deviations in the transistor of twenty-five thousandths of an inch from a nominal body length.

7. In an apparatus for processing transistors having a plurality of leads extending from one side wherein the transistors are oriented and fed by gravity to a feeding transport apparatus whereby the transistors are delivered to a transport wheel and while in this wheel are brought in way of a lead bending and trimming apparatus, said lead bending and trimming apparatus including: (a.) a support block; (b) a lower support bar pivotally carried intermediate its ends on a pin mounted in the support block; (c) a top bar pivotally carried intermediate its ends on the same pin as the lower support bar; (d) a pair of dies adapted to be brought together in a precise mating condition to perform an operation on the leads of a held and oriented transistor, one of the dies of the pair of dies being removably mounted on each bar and as the bars are moved toward and away from each other around the common axis, the mounted dies are caused to determinedly engage each other in a precise relationship; (e) a bias means for urging the die ends of the pivoted bars to an open condition and timed cam means for moving the die ends of the bars toward each other to perform the desired operation on the leads, and (f) a box type cam provided on the top bar, said box cam having a portion providing opposed cam surfaces disposed to be engaged by a cam member, and when said cam member engages one cam surface it urges the arm and attached die toward the mating die carried by the lower support bar and when the cam member engages the opposite cam surface the top bar and attached die is lifted from the mating die on the lower support arm.

8. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 4 in combination with lead bending and trimming apparatus which further includes a support block; a lower support bar pivotally carried intermediate its ends on a pin mounted in the support block; a top bar pivotally carried intermediate its ends on the same pin as the lower support bar; a pair of dies adapted to be brought together in a precise mating condition to perform an operation on the leads of a held and oriented transistor carried by the transport wheel, one of the dies of the pair of dies being removably mounted on each bar and as the bars are moved toward and away from each other around the common axis, the mounted dies are caused to determinedly engage each other in a precise relationship and a bias means for urging the die ends of the pivoted bars to an open condition and timed cam means for moving the die ends of the bars toward each other to perform the desired operation on the leads.

9. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 8 which the dies are knives adapted to cut the leads of a transistor to a determined length.

10. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 7 in which the dies are mated forming members adapted to bend and space the leads of a transistor to a determined shape.

11. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 8 in which the bias means for urging apart the die ends of the pivoted bars is at least one tension spring having one end operatively engaged with the top bar at a determined distance from the pivot and on the side opposite from the die end, and with the other end of the spring operatively engaged with the lower support bar at a determined distance from the pivot and on the side opposite the die end of the arm.

12. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 11 in which there are at least two tension springs mounted in spaced array and with one spring disposed on each side of the lower support bar.

13. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 7 in which the box cam is in the form of a channel, U, and the 1.0 vided biasing means for urging the transistor into an oriented and seated condition in the wheel.

15. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 7 in which the lower support bar is carried on one side of the support block and the top bar is carried on the other side of said support block. 

1. In an apparatus for processing transistor leads wherein the transistors are oriented and fed by gravity to and through a substantially vertical chute to a feeding transport apparatus, said chute feeding means including: (a.) a conductor for pressurized air, gas and the like and having a pair of nozzles of determined diameter and configuration, each adapted to direct a blast of pressurized air, gas and the like to a localized position a short distance from the end of the nozzle; (b.) means for modulating the flow of pressurized air, gas and the like to and through the nozzles, and (c.) support means for retaining the conductor and nozzles in an oriented condition and through one nozzle to direct a determined blast of air and the like to and onto the leads of at least the lowest transistors and through the other nozzle to the body of at least the lowermost transistor as it is fed in and from the chute to and into a pocket of a transporting shuttle having a reciprocal actuation.
 2. In an apparatus for processing transistor leads wherein the transistors are oriented and fed by gravity from a substantially vertically arranged chute to a reciprocated shuttle transporting means thence toward and to a transport wheel which is rotated in an intermittent manner, said transport wheel including: (a.) a support disc rotAtionally carried by a support shaft, said disc having a plurality of like sized and shaped cutouts formed in its periphery, each cutout sized and shaped so as to slidably engage the leads of a transported transistor so as to retain the transistor in an oriented condition; (b.) a carrier disc carried at a determined position from the supported disc and rotated with the support disc, said carrier disc having a plurality of receiving notches formed in its periphery, and with each notch sized so as to slidably receive the body of a transistor, while the transport wheel is in an at rest condition, each notch further disposed so as to be in a fixed determined alignment with an adjacent cutout in the support disc, and (c.) a plurality of spring fingers carried by the transport wheel, each spring finger retained so that is free end is adjacent to and is spaced from a receiving notch in the carrier disc with each of said spring fingers adapted to be deflected from its at rest position by the end of a transistor body as said transistor is moved into a receiving notch in the carrier disc, said deflected spring engaging the transistor body to urge the body into a fixed condition against the stop disc during the transporting rotation of the transport wheel.
 3. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 2 in which the cutouts in the support disc and the receiving notches in the carrier disc are in alignment and also are equally spaced on the peripheries of the discs.
 4. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 3 in which the cutouts in the support disc are sized to slidably receive and retain in an oriented manner and condition two of the leads of a transistor having at least three leads.
 5. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 2 in which each spring finger is attached to and is carried by the carrier disc, said finger being deflectable from its at rest position so as to engage the outer end of a transistor body of determined length and by the bias of the deflected spring to urge the transistor body axially into a determined frictional engagement with the support disc.
 6. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 5 in which the free length of the spring is deflectable without deformation to an extent sufficient to accept deviations in the transistor of twenty-five thousandths of an inch from a nominal body length.
 7. In an apparatus for processing transistors having a plurality of leads extending from one side wherein the transistors are oriented and fed by gravity to a feeding transport apparatus whereby the transistors are delivered to a transport wheel and while in this wheel are brought in way of a lead bending and trimming apparatus, said lead bending and trimming apparatus including: (a.) a support block; (b.) a lower support bar pivotally carried intermediate its ends on a pin mounted in the support block; (c.) a top bar pivotally carried intermediate its ends on the same pin as the lower support bar; (d.) a pair of dies adapted to be brought together in a precise mating condition to perform an operation on the leads of a held and oriented transistor, one of the dies of the pair of dies being removably mounted on each bar and as the bars are moved toward and away from each other around the common axis, the mounted dies are caused to determinedly engage each other in a precise relationship; (e.) a bias means for urging the die ends of the pivoted bars to an open condition and timed cam means for moving the die ends of the bars toward each other to perform the desired operation on the leads, and (f.) a box type cam provided on the top bar, said box cam having a portion providing opposed cam surfaces disposed to be engaged by a cam member, and when said cam member engages one cam surface it urges the arm and attached die toward the mating die carried by the lower support bar and when the cam member engages the opposite cam surface the top bar and attached die is lifted from the mating die on the lower sUpport arm.
 8. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 4 in combination with lead bending and trimming apparatus which further includes a support block; a lower support bar pivotally carried intermediate its ends on a pin mounted in the support block; a top bar pivotally carried intermediate its ends on the same pin as the lower support bar; a pair of dies adapted to be brought together in a precise mating condition to perform an operation on the leads of a held and oriented transistor carried by the transport wheel, one of the dies of the pair of dies being removably mounted on each bar and as the bars are moved toward and away from each other around the common axis, the mounted dies are caused to determinedly engage each other in a precise relationship and a bias means for urging the die ends of the pivoted bars to an open condition and timed cam means for moving the die ends of the bars toward each other to perform the desired operation on the leads.
 9. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 8 which the dies are knives adapted to cut the leads of a transistor to a determined length.
 10. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 7 in which the dies are mated forming members adapted to bend and space the leads of a transistor to a determined shape.
 11. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 8 in which the bias means for urging apart the die ends of the pivoted bars is at least one tension spring having one end operatively engaged with the top bar at a determined distance from the pivot and on the side opposite from the die end, and with the other end of the spring operatively engaged with the lower support bar at a determined distance from the pivot and on the side opposite the die end of the arm.
 12. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 11 in which there are at least two tension springs mounted in spaced array and with one spring disposed on each side of the lower support bar.
 13. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 7 in which the box cam is in the form of a channel, ''''U,'''' and the like with the facing inner surfaces being upper and lower surfaces disposed and spaced to be alternately engaged by a circular cam eccentrically mounted on a rotatable shaft.
 14. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 7 in which the transport wheel includes a carrier disc having a plurality of receiving notches said disc spaced a determined distance from a support disc having means for receiving and orienting the leads of a transistor, and in which there is provided biasing means for urging the transistor into an oriented and seated condition in the wheel.
 15. Apparatus for processing transistor leads as in claim 7 in which the lower support bar is carried on one side of the support block and the top bar is carried on the other side of said support block. 